Can people, who reside on the island of Puerto Rico, be officers in the US Military?

When I served in the 101st, I knew a Warrant Officer who was from PR. He told me that he wasn't able to attend OCS because he lived in PR, which is why he went to WOC school. Now, my wife (a Puerto Rican from NY) is arguing with me over the fact that people from PR can't be officers...she says they can, but has absolutely no proof to back up her assertion.

Please, someone who knows, help me. If I'm wrong, I'd like to know. If I'm right, I'd like to be able to back up what I'm pretty sure is the truth with sources &/or facts.

Thanks, USD

rkba_net

05-18-2006, 00:30

Non US Citizens cannot be a Warrant Officer OR a Commissioned Officers or hold a security clearance...

See...

http://www.goarmy.com/about/enlisted_soldier.jsp

http://www.goarmy.com/about/warrant_officer.jsp

http://www.goarmy.com/about/officer.jsp

Tennessee Slim

05-18-2006, 04:11

I had a hootch-mate in Honduras (where I lived and worked during the Contra War) who was a Puerto Rican and fellow captain and fixed-wing aviator in the US Army. In a Military Intelligence unit, no less.

FDC

05-18-2006, 08:06

Maybe I'm losing my mind, but aren't people from PR citizens???

To find out for sure, give one of the staions in PR a call. There are Army recruiting stations there. Used to have to deal with them all the time when I was a recruiter in RI. You can get the number here: find a recruiter (http://www.goarmy.com/contact/find_a_recruiter.jsp?hmref=cs).

rkba_net

05-19-2006, 00:47

Originally posted by FDC
Maybe I'm losing my mind, but aren't people from PR citizens???

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No you are not losing your mind... well maybe.... but they ARE US citizens...

nothing

05-22-2006, 12:27

It would be really hard for the Puerto Rican National Guard if they couldn't be officers.

Black Tiger

05-29-2006, 15:44

I know a lot of officers that are Puertoricans like myself; they fly planes in the Navy and USAF, are chopper pilots in the US Army and USMC; hell one of my best friends is a Blackhawk pilot with the PR Army National Guard (he's a Captain).

So the idea that you can't be an officer because you are Puertorican is an assinine idea to begin with.

And yeah, Puertoricans are US citizens by birth (PUerto Rico is a territory of the United States since 1898)

USDefender

06-01-2006, 13:42

Maybe the guy I knew in the 101st wasn't telling me his whole story, then...

I do know that there are some things that Puertoricans (from the Island) cannot do - i.e. Vote in the US Presidential election. This doesn't mean that they aren't citizens, however, it obviously means that there are certain restrictions regarding their US rights.

I wonder if this use to keep PR citizens from being officers but doesn't any longer? I was in a pretty long time ago (16 years, I think) & things (regarding this subject) could very well have changed since then.

Thanks for posting fellas - you've at least given me some leads. Think I just may call some of those recruiters & find out how it actually works, as FDC has suggested.